The Sea Tigress
by EternalHime
Summary: A girl is sent on a ship home to her family. Soon she hears a bloody tale about the ship and grudges that have been held for a time that seems impossible. She must find the answers to the mystery of the Sea Tigress before she can get home. Alive.


Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing or The True Confession of Charlotte Doyle.  
  
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It was the summer of 1832 when my frightful journey began on the vast oceans to Providence. I was heading back to my original home from England, where I had stayed since I was 6. Now I am a 17-year-old girl, belonging to a proper family, a family of importance and respect. My father had told me that since it was the summer, and school had not yet come to a finish, that I was not to ride with them to Providence, Rhode Island, my original home.  
  
My school was the best girls school you could ever come across so my father didn't want me to miss any of the time at school, since time was money, as he always said. My mother whole-heartedly agreed with him though my siblings were not so enthusiastic. They were to leave a whole month ahead of me on a ship called the Light Away. After my schooling was finished I was to go on a ship by myself, which I had not known the name, but three other families were to be riding with me acting as my guardians throughout our journey.  
  
My father told me that I was to take a journal and write in the happenings of each day. He would be looking for spelling and grammar in my writings when I had reached home so I was sure to try my hardest, showing what I had learned at the school. I must admit, I was extremely excited, going aboard a large lovely ship with children my own age, what a time that would be.  
  
But I must tell you that that was not how my journey went. It begins with me at the docks, waiting for my escort with Ms. Weed, the school headmaster.  
  
Soon a burly man strode up to us. His posture was polite yet in a cocky way. He bowed before me and took my hand.  
  
"The names Milliardo Peacecraft. And I shall be your escort, Miss," He said, lightly kissing my gloved hand.  
  
I smiled and curtsied. "Hello kind sir. I thank you for being my escort to the ship." The man frowned slightly but regained his strange posture.  
  
"The pleasures' all mine, Miss. No need for you to tell me your name for I already know what it is," Mr. Peacecraft kindly said as a porter came up and hauled my trunk onto his shoulder. "Shall we be off now?"  
  
"One moment please," I said as I turned and said my goodbyes to my headmistress. I then turned around indicating that my goodbyes were finished. Mr. Peacecraft nodded and placed his arm out in front of me.  
  
"Ladies first," He cockily said as I walked before him. Our walk was silent for the most part. I looked around to see all of the people around me hustling and bustling about. I turned to Mr. Peacecraft and said,  
  
"Mr. Peacecraft, what is the ships name that I shall be sailing away on?" I imagined it to be a grand white ship with large sails and a kind crew, along with a wonderful captain.  
  
Mr. Peacecraft frowned and looked down at me. "The ships name is the Sea Tigress." Right as the name of the ship was uttered from Mr. Peacecraft's lips both of us heard a large 'thud' behind us. I turned around and looked strangely at the porter. He had dropped my trunk and looked as if he had seen a ghost.  
  
"I ain't goin' no further," he said as he started to back away from us.  
  
"You can't just leave! I've already paid you and you must fulfill your job!" Mr. Peacecraft bellowed out in anger, his face growing red.  
  
"I said I ain't goin' no further," and with that the porter turned and ran, disappearing into the crowd of people.  
  
"What's going on?" I asked suspiciously. "Is there something wrong with the ship?" If there was, there was no way that I was going to step aboard.  
  
"No. No Miss, nothing's wrong. Let me just get another porter," Mr. Peacecraft said distractedly looking anywhere but at me. "You there! Porter!" He called out as he strode over to another porter and spoke quietly with him. Soon Mr. Peacecraft walked over to me and led me towards the ship once more.  
  
I walked quietly beside the frowning Mr. Peacecraft, ever so often glancing at him then quickly glancing away. The other porter's actions were extremely out of order and rude! But most of all it was very strange. I was broken out of my thoughts by Mr. Peacecraft.  
  
"Pardon me Mr. Peacecraft. I was lost in my own thoughts, please could you repeat your self?" I said politely with my hands behind my back.  
  
"Ah, of course Miss. I simply said that we should be getting close to the ship about now," Mr. Peacecraft repeated for me.  
  
"I thank you for the notification," I replied looking around at all of the lovely ships wondering which one I was to be a passenger upon.  
  
A few minutes later Mr. Peacecraft stopped and said, "Well, here it is Miss, the Sea Tigress."  
  
I turned and looked at a beautiful white ship that was just as I had imagined it. Beautiful white billowing sails, a neatly dressed crew bustling about making sure that everything was perfect for me and the other families that were coming aboard.  
  
I started to walk towards it until Mr. Peacecraft caught my shoulder in a tight grip. "Not that one Miss, this one," he said pointing to a ship that made my heart sink. The ship was all black with sails that looked like they had been on the Earth forever. Chipping paint as well as rusty looking outer looks. Men in tattered clothing ran around on the ship. They looked a bit young to be the crew of the ship but that was not my business. Little did I know that soon, it would be.  
  
"That?" I said in disgust but soon remembered my place and straightened up. "What of the other families coming to join me?" I asked trying to get my mind off of the terrible looking ship.  
  
"Let me speak to the first mate, then I will know the answer to your question, Miss," Mr. Peacecraft said not even looking at me as he walked towards a man that was standing in front of the ship.  
  
Again I heard a loud 'thud' behind me and turned to see the porter looking up at the ship with a terrified expression on his face. Unlike the other porter though, he ran away without a word.  
  
I opened my mouth to yell after him, but remembered my place once more and closed my mouth. What was with these porters? Maybe the ship was so ugly that the looks scared them away. But the other porter had not seen the ship, so what was going on?  
  
I looked at the ship again and crossed my arms. How could father have put me on a ship as terrible as this? I looked over to where Mr. Peacecraft was arguing with a man, but my eyes were then torn away from them only to see four shadows creeping onto the ship! How was nobody catching this?! I would have screamed but I was taught that screaming was very unladylike, and my ambition was to be a lady.  
  
Something was very obviously wrong with the ship that I was to head onto. Very wrong.  
  
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Okay, first of all, I know. This is like The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. And second, I know I still have other stories to finish. But I just wanted to try this one out, see what kind of a reaction it gets. And it's supposed to be like Charlotte Doyle, but it'll change soon. Don't worry, it's not a copy. And I know it's a short first chapter. Tell me if you think I should continue. 


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